eed. However, if one gives a quick verbal command "_Attend to
this_," the result will be heightened.

We have known of cases of men prominent in the world's affairs who made a
practice of smoking a cigar during important business interviews, not
because they particularly cared for tobacco, but because they had learned
to appreciate the value of a moment's time for the mind to "gather itself
together," as one man expressed it. A question would be asked, or a
proposition advanced suddenly, demanding an immediate answer. Under the
watchful eyes of the other party the questioned party tried not to show
by his expression any indication of searching for an answer, for obvious
reasons. So, instead, he would take a long puff at the cigar, then a slow
attentive look at the ashes on its tip, and then another moment consumed
in flicking the ash into the receptacle, and then came the answer,
slowly, "Well, as to that--" or some other words of that kind, prefacing
the real answer which had been rapidly framed by the sub-conscious mind
in time to be uttered in its proper place. The few moments of time gained
had been sufficient for the sub-conscious mind to gather up its
materials, and the matter to be shaped properly, without any appearance
of hesitation on the part of the answerer. All of this required practice,
of course, but the principle may be seen through it all and in every
similar case. The point is that the man, in such cases, sets some hidden
part of his mind to work for him, and when he begins to speak the matter
is at least roughly "licked into shape for him."

Our students will understand, of course, that this is not advice to smoke
cigars during interviews of importance, but is merely given to illustrate
the principle. We have known other men to twirl a lead pencil in their
fingers in a lazy sort of fashion, and then drop it at the important
moment. But we must cease giving examples of this kind, lest we be
accused of giving instructions in worldly wisdom, instead of teaching the
use of the mind. The impressive pause of the teacher, before answering
his pupil's question, is also an example of the workings of this law. One
often says "stop, let me think a moment," and during his pause he does
not really consciously think at all, but stares ahead in a dreamy
fashion, while his sub-conscious mind does the work for him, although he
little suspects the nature of the operation. One has but to look around
him to realize the i